Episode 36: Defenders of Love
A couple of days have passed since the Alola Festival, and by then, Sora, Kairi, Pikachu, and Angel have parted ways with Ash and Leaf and continued on their way.
Along the way, Sora has exchanged Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle, Pidgeotto, Raticate for Grimer, Spearow, Gastly, Mime Jr, and Zubat.
"Okay, Zubat! Use Bite! Grimer! Use Sludge! Gastly! Night Shade! Mime Jr! Confusion! Spearow! Use Peck!" Sora ordered. Sora's Pokémon have unleashed their chosen attacks. "That's great!" Zubat and Spearow nodded as they both started to evolve right at the same time. Spearow has become is a large, mostly brown avian Pokémon with a vulturine neck and broad, powerful wings. It has a long, pointed, pink beak and a decorative red coxcomb on top of its head. Its narrow eyes have very small pupils and do not appear to have colored irises. It has shaggy, feathers at the base of its neck and covering the upper portion of its wings. These feathers are cream-colored, as are the tips of its flight feathers. Its sharp-clawed talons are pink, with three toes pointing forward and one pointing backward. Zubat has become a Golbat.
"Wow, you both evolved!" Kairi beamed. Sora and Kairi each took their Pokédexes and scanned them.
Sora's Pokédex:
Fearow, the Beak Pokémon
The evolved from of Spearow
Type: Normal/Flying
A Pokémon that dates back many years. If it senses danger, it flies high and away, instantly.
Kairi's Pokédex:
Golbat, the Bat Pokémon
The evolved from of Zubat
Type: Poison/Flying
However hard its victim's hide may be, it punctures with sharp fangs and gorges itself with blood.
"I wasn't expecting the both of you to evolve at once. You're both really awesome," Sora said. Golbat and Fearow beamed at their Trainer's praise.
"They weren't the only ones who evolved, Sora," Kairi said. Sora turned to his girlfriend with a smile. "We did some evolving of our own."
"You're right, Kairi. We evolved when we had our first real kiss," Sora said. He took Kairi in his arms. "I'm glad that you came along with me, Kairi."
"Me too, Sora," Kairi said. She and Sora kiss each other.
Unknown to them, a girl with long blonde hair is seen looking at them. She has green eyes and has a sorrowful expression.
"They do not know the tragedy that is coming their way," the girl said. Darkness seeps through her body. "I will save them from the evil of love."
A little later, Team Rocket starts digging a huge hole in the middle of the road and they cover it up.
"There! The troublesome twosome will be heading this way soon," Jessie said.
"Taking that Pikachu from the twerp will be like taking candy from a baby," James said.
"And not a moment too soon! They're coming this way!" Meowth said, pointing forward. They quickly hid in the bushes. "Let's go over the checklist real quick. Shockproof net."
"Check," Jessie confirmed.
"Rubber gloves," Meowth said.
"Check," James confirmed.
"One genuine Pikachu-proof cage," Meowth said.
"Check, check, and check!" Jessie and James said.
"Beautiful," Meowth said. They hid as the couple and their Pokémon partners came close enough. Sora stopped in his tracks. Kairi looked right at him.
"Why did you stop, Sora?" Kairi asked.
"Fall in already," Jessie said.
"You're so close to it, so just take that one, good step," James said.
Sora summoned his Keyblade and used it to tap the ground. The ground shakes and it opens up to reveal a hole.
"A pit trap?" Kairi asked.
"Like we're dumb enough to fall for it again," Sora said. Jessie bursts out of the bushes and yelled directly at them.
"YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO STEP ON THE TRAP WE'VE SET AND FALL IN! THAT WAY YOU WOULD BE NOT ABLE TO KEEP US FROM TAKING PIKACHU FROM YOU!" Jessie yelled.
"Just as I thought. It's just the Moron Trio again," Sora said. James and Meowth jumped out of the bushes and glared at them.
"Moron Trio? What nerve?" James hissed.
"Those can actually hurt someone's feelings, you know!" Meowth said.
"Why do I have the feeling he just repeated himself?" James asked, stroking his chin.
"You're morons, because you don't ever learn from your mistakes," Sora said.
"That's right. Every time we go at it, you always end up losing," Kairi said.
"Not this time!" James said. "We're going to take Pikachu, and you're gonna like it!" James said as something struck him from behind. He turned to see a Heartless that has a thin, armless body with short, thin legs without feet. Its head is spherical and is blue, the same color as its body. Its head it covered by two halves of a dark brown shell resembling a stereotypical bomb. A large, jagged opening around the middle of the shell exposes the Heartless's glowing, yellow eyes. The top half of the bomb shell sports a long, white fuse. Its Heartless emblem is present on the front of the top half of the shell. This Heartless is known as a Minute Bomb. "Crap! Heartless!" Jessie and Meowth turned to see Shadows, Soldiers, and more Minute Bombs appearing.
"If there's one thing I hate more than stubborn brats, it's Heartless," Jessie groaned. Sora held his Keyblade as he took out his Pokéballs and threw them.
"Fearow, Golbat, Grimer, Mime Jr, Gastly! Go!" Sora called out. His Pokémon all emerged from inside. Kairi took out her Pokéballs and threw them.
"Raichu, Jigglypuff, Poliwag, Gloom, Ponyta! Join in!" Kairi called out. Her five Pokémon emerged from inside. Kairi turned to Team Rocket. "What are you standing there for? You help fight them off!"
"Why should we do what you say?!" Jessie hissed.
"Because if you don't, they'll swallow your hearts, too! And I know you don't want that!" Kairi said.
"The red-headed twerpette is right, Jessie. Team Rocket will face any enemy, no matter who or what it is!" James proclaimed.
"James is right! We can't let these Heartless show up Team Rocket! We have a reputation to live to!" Meowth said.
"Right!" Jessie said. "They're not having my heart without a fight!" She took out a Pokéball and threw it. "Arbok! Go!" Her Pokéball opened and Arbok emerged from inside.
"Cha-bok!" Arbok hissed.
"Go! Weezing!" James called out. His Pokéball opened and Weezing emerged from inside.
"Weezing, Weez," Weezing said.
"Arbok! Use Crunch on those things!" Jessie ordered. Arbok lunges at the Heartless.
"Weezing! Use Sludge Bomb!" James ordered. Weezing spews Sludge Bomb from his two mouths and catches the Heartless in it.
"Pikachu! Thunderbolt!" Sora ordered. Pikachu unleashed Thunderbolt, shocking the Heartless and destroying them. Hearts rise from the Emblem Heartless. "Fearow! Use Drill Peck! Golbat! Use Wing Attack! Grimer! Use Sludge! Mime Jr! Confusion! Gastly! Shadow Ball!" Fearow beak glows yellow and spins like a drill. He plows through the Heartless. Golbat smacked them with his wings, Mime Jr pushes back with his psychic powers, and Gastly fires a ball of shadow at the Heartless.
"Angel! Use Swift! Ponyta! Use Fire Spin! Poliwag! Use Water Gun! Gloom! Use Razor Leaf! Raichu! Thunderbolt! Jigglypuff! Use Disarming Voice!" Kairi ordered. Angel and Kairi's other Pokémon all launched their attacks at the Heartless. Sora swings his Keyblade at the Soldiers. The Minute Bombs then then started to count down. Sora saw the numbers and rolled out of the way before they exploded. "Sora, are you alright?"
"I'm fine, Kairi. Just gotta take them down hard," Sora said. A Minute Bomb came at him when Pikachu swings at it with Iron Tail, destroying it.
"Pika, Pi," Pikachu said.
"Good save, buddy," Sora said.
"Pikachu!" Pikachu said.
"Come and get some, Heartless!" Meowth dared the Heartless. A Shadow came at him as Meowth slashed across its face.
"These Heartless aren't even worth our time," Jessie said. A Soldier spins around right Jessie, kicking her. "Ooh, you're starting to get on my last nerve!" Sora threw his Keyblade, taking it out. His Keyblade came back to Sora's hand. "Don't give them an opening!" The Shadows heads towards Sora, but he raised his Keyblade up.
"Balloon!" Sora shouted. Several multicolored balloons appeared and they popped the Heartless when they made contact.
Not too far, the girl from before watches them fight the Heartless.
"Can't they see it's hopeless? Nothing they do will ever be enough to drive away the darkness?" The girl asked. "The darkness will consume them all."
Sora slashed through the last of the attacking Heartless. He looked around to see Kairi, Team Rocket, and the Pokémon are still intact. Sora could feel something was up.
"Something's not right," Sora said. And he was right when he heard a strange sound. He looked around and he couldn't see it. Jessie could see Pikachu is preoccupied. Taking advantage of the situation, she took out a net to catch Pikachu in it, but she goes flying backwards. She screamed as she hits the ground. Kairi turned around and saw Jessie on the ground.
"What was that?" Jessie asked in a daze. Footsteps are heard, and a trail is left behind. Then it turned visible.
It was a bipedal lizard resembling a chameleon. It has a yellow body, with five short spikes along its back. It often stands hunched over, holding its arms out in front of it. Its entire upper body is covered in stripes of various shades of green and yellow, reminiscent of camouflage clothing. Its hands and feet have four toes each, two in front and two in back, with black claws. Its prehensile tail is curled up behind it in a spiral. It has a mouth lined by short, pointed teeth, a pink tongue that can extend to surprising lengths, and large yellow and orange eyes with small black pupils. It also has a large, yellow horn on the tip of its snout. Its Heartless emblem is on its chest. This giant Heartless is a Stealth Sneak. They all gasped when they saw it.
"Not another one!" James said.
"That must be the ringleader!" Kairi said.
The Stealth Sneak shots rays of light from its eyes, and heads towards them. The Pokémon tried to avoid them, but then, it comes right towards them. It then clapped its hands, shooting out beams of energy at the Pokémon.
"They ain't gonna last with that wallet with feet coming at them!" Meowth said.
"Hey!" Sora called out to the Stealth Sneak. He slashed his Keyblade at its backside, making it yelp. It turned around and came after Sora instead. Sora and Kairi's Pokémon came to his aid and assited in the fight against the large Heartless. Sora jumped up and he came at it, and gave it the finishing blow to the chest. The Stealth Sneak tried to stand up, but it fell over. A heart appeared from the Heartless and it vanishes. "That takes care of that Heartless."
"Pikachu," Pikachu said.
"Eevee," Angel said.
"I had a feeling it was too quiet for them to just show up," Sora said.
"I doubt they'll remain less quiet after this," Kairi said.
"It must be nice, huh?" A girl's voice spoke out. They turned to see the girl coming towards them. "To have someone to love you so much, and then you love them all the same. I can only pity the two of you." Sora and Kairi just looked right at her.
"What are you talking about?" Sora asked.
"And why would you say that?" Kairi asked.
"Because I was once like you. I had the greatest love in the world, and then the one I love has broken my heart. My heart has shattered into millions of pieces, all because I loved him. And that's when I learned this lesson. Love can only bring pain and misery to your heart," the girl said. Jessie steps forward.
"Hey, look, girl. I'm sure it's all sad that your heart has been shattered and all, but all you had to do and find another boyfriend, and move on," Jessie said.
"I will move on when love is no more," the girl said. She raised her hands midsection and blue beams of energy struck Sora, Kairi, Jessie, and James, making them scream.
"Jess! James!" Meowth exclaimed. "I don't know what you're doing, but stop it!" Meowth attempts to slash the girl's face, but Shadows emerged from the darkness and held him. The other Pokémon tried to help, but they get caught by Shadows as well. "Hey, let me go, you shadowy freaks!" He looked at Sora, Kairi, Jessie, and James. "What are you doing to them?!"
"Showing them that love is a mistake they should not make. So, I'm making them see it for themselves," the girl said.
"Look, whoever you are-" Meowth said.
"Rose," the girl said. "Save your breath, talking Meowth. Nothing you say will make me change my mind."
"Jess! James! Snap out of it!" Meowth called out.
Sora grits his teeth. He tried to fight it with all his might. Images appeared in his mind as he and Kairi had an argument.
"You're nothing but an egotistical jerk, and I hate you!" Kairi said.
"If it's all the same, I hate you, too! Breaking up with you is the best thing that's ever happened to me!" Sora said.
Kairi, "Good."
Sora, "Great."
Sora and Kairi, "FINE!"
"No," Sora said sadly. "Can it be true?"
We have a look into Kairi's mind. Here, she saw Sora turning his back on her.
"Sora! Sora, it's you!" Kairi said. She smiled happily, but her joy turned to sorrow when he gave her a cold look.
"What do you want?" Sora asked.
"Sora?" Kairi was confused.
"You've been holding me back ever since we became a couple. I was too stupid to see it until now," Sora said.
"Sora," Kairi said, with tears coming down her eyes.
"The truth is, I never really loved you. No one really loved you. Your own parents just sent you away and they're replacing you with a new baby all because they were sick of looking at your face," Sora said. This takes a big stab in her heart.
"Sora, how could you say such a terrible thing?!" Kairi exclaimed while crying.
"Because I'm breaking up with you. So, good luck with your life!" Sora said, vanishing.
"NO!" Kairi cried even harder. In reality, she was crying out loud, having her heart shatter in a million pieces. "How could you? After everything we've been through?" Kairi remembered what Sora said.
"What I was going to say was I love you too, Kairi. You are the most beautiful girl in the world to me. You've been good to me. I always loved how you would gush over how cute a Pokémon was, and that is cute. I want you to know it and I don't care who knows it; I love you more than anything in the world," Sora's voice said in her memory. She realized something.
"Sora would never say those awful things about me," Kairi. "It's all an illusion," Kairi said.
Team Rocket were going through bad memories themselves. Jessie's life in poverty, and James's life when he was given strict scoldings from his parents.
Sora was weakening. Kairi has broken free of her control and went towards her boyfriend. Rose was shocked to see Kairi breaking free.
"No, it's not possible!" Rose exclaimed.
Kairi went to Sora, and took him in her arms.
"Sora, can you hear me?" Kairi asked.
"Kairi never loved me," Sora said.
"Sora, snap out of it! Whatever you're seeing isn't real! It's an illusion! This girl is tricking you! You gotta snap out of it now!" Kairi said. She could see her words aren't reaching him, but she wasn't going to give up.
"Don't waste your breath. Your voice cannot reach him. Soon, he will know the truth like I do; the truth that you refuse," Rose said.
"No, you're wrong!" Kairi said. "Love is what brought us this far! I don't expect someone like you to understand, because you don't know the first thing about love!"
"You're the one who is wrong. I know that love brings misery. Love is a poison," Rose said.
"Love is something that brings two people close together! I love Sora more than anything! I loved him from the day we met! I know it was my love for him is what made him stronger," Kairi said.
Unknown to anyone, a hooded figure stood and observed the whole event. He wore a full-length black coat with a hood and a waist-high slit going up the back. It has a large silver zipper that fastens at the top and zips down to seal the coat. It has silver drawstrings for the hood decorated with a large silver bead hanging from the end and a silver chain ornament adorned with four large cylindrical silver beads that fastens to a loop on either side of the collarbone region.
"Love can bring strength? How curious," the hooded figure said.
"How can you be so optimistic? He'll just break your heart! Just like he broke my heart!" Rose exclaimed, crying. Kairi felt pity to her.
"Is that why you're taking it out on me and Sora?" Kairi asked. Rose just looked at her. "I don't know what happened to you, but you can't take it out on other people just because they have what you don't have. You should open up your heart and find someone who will love you for you."
"Shut up! I don't want your charity! I want you to go away!" Rose yelled, forming an orb of darkness and sends it right at Kairi. She shuts her eyes and held onto Sora. Pikachu, Angel, and the other Pokémon could only watch.
"Get out of there!" Meowth yelled.
Just then, a light surrounds Kairi. Something appeared in her hand, and she slashed the dark orb like a melon. She opened her eyes and she gasped in awe when she saw she has a Keyblade of her own. The Keyblade is round and curvaceous to the point of appearing harmless. One side of the hilt is formed in the shape of a breaking ocean wave, while the other is formed into a beige vine of sand that wraps around the shaft, which is colored to resemble a sunset. The vine connects to a bouquet of colorful flowers, which form the teeth of the Keyblade. A red, silken Keychain connects the hilt to the Rainbow Wing token. The Pokémon were at awe the same as her.
"A Keyblade?" Kairi asked in surprise. She grips it in her hands. She points it right at Rose. "This is your chance. Let Sora and Team Rocket go!"
"I refuse!" Rose yelled, sending out streams of darkness from her hands. Kairi dodges and she came right at her. Rose uses her powers to push Kairi back. "I refuse to allow my heart to be hurt any longer! I refuse love! I refuse love! I accept there is only darkness!" The darkness has covered her body completely as she has taken the form of a dark angel. She now has red-orange angelic wings, and she wore a black angel's dress, and she carried a curved sword in each of her hands. Her blonde hair has turned blood-red and her eyes turned yellow. This Heartless is known as the Loveless Angel. Kairi couldn't believe what she has seen.
"She's turned into a Heartless?" Kairi said with disbelief. She turned to Sora and to Team Rocket. "This time, I'll save the day." She held her Keyblade and she ran towards Rose's Heartless. The Loveless Angel raised the sword and blocked her attack. They kept up the clashing of blades. The Pokémon were watching in amazement to what was happening.
"Now that she has one, them Heartless will have to prepare for double trouble," Meowth said.
Kairi and the Heartless kept clashing their blades at one another, not giving the other the chance to strike back. Kairi kept on going and going.
"Sora, I have always depended on you. I always will. I wouldn't be here right now if we haven't met. Please, lend me your strength!" Kairi said. "Sora!"
Somehow, Sora heard her voice. The Loveless Angel gave Kairi a smack and she screamed as red-violet orbs are fired after. Sora broke free of Rose's control. He saw Team Rocket and used his Keyblade to free them. He saw Kairi on the ground.
"Kairi!" Sora called out.
"Hey, how about helping us, too?!" Meowth exclaimed. Sora casts his water spell, drenching the Shadows and Meowth. Sora then casts his thunder spell, destroying them. Sora then freed the Pokémon. "Are you guys, okay?"
"Pikachu," Pikachu said. He turned to Angel and the other Pokémon.
"Okay, let's go help Kairi out!" Sora said. The Pokémon all agreed as they rushed towards Kairi's side. Arbok fired Poison Sting as Weezing fired Sludge Bomb at Rose's Heartless. She uses her sword to reflect them. Sora casts his Cure spell on Kairi. She looked up to her boyfriend. "Kairi, you're safe."
"Sora, I knew you'd snap out of it," Kairi said.
"It was thanks to you," Sora said. The Loveless Angel came right towards them. Sora grabbed Kairi in his arms and jumped. "We'll talk about that later."
"Right. We have a Heartless to deal with," Kairi said. She held out her Keyblade. Sora was wondering how she got one, but he decided to save it for later. They leapt at the Heartless and she blocked them both. She sends them backwards. Kairi remembered Keyblade wielders can use magic, so she casts a fire spell. The fireball struck her in one of the wings.
"Nice shot!" Sora said.
"Thanks!" Kairi said.
"Pikachu! Use Thunderbolt!" Sora ordered.
"Use Swift, Angel!" Kairi ordered.
Pikachu and Angel fired their attacks. They combined into one, hitting Rose's Heartless. Sora jumped, but Loveless Angel knocked him down. She raised his sword to finish him off, but Kairi gave the Heartless the finishing blow. The Loveless Angel then fell on the ground. Team Rocket groaned as they got up and they saw the Loveless Angel beginning to dissolve.
"What's going on?" Jessie asked.
"Where did she go?" James asked.
"She's gone," Kairi said. "She turned into that monster and attacked. And that's when this came." Kairi said, holding up her Keyblade.
"She's got one of those, too?" James asked.
"Two twerps with two keys. What is the world coming to?" Jessie asked in disbelief.
"I don't know, and I don't think I wanna know," James said.
"And with the Heartless gone, that means we can go back to business as usual!" Jessie said. Team Rocket and their Pokémon took their positions to fight. Sora groaned in annoyance.
"Really? You're still set on battling us even after what just happened to us just now?" Sora asked.
"Yes; but not now," Jessie said. Sora, Kairi, and the Pokémon were puzzled by what Jessie just said. "I mean, you're right for once, we had a enough for today."
"And so, we will be on our way and try to steal Pikachu at another time. So, goodbye for now," James said. "Oh, and for the record, you make a great couple."
Team Rocket began to run off in the opposite direction as fast as their feet could carry them.
"Team Rocket's running off again!" Team Rocket shouted as they ran.
That just left Sora and Kairi, feeling dumbfounded by Team Rocket running off instead of going through their humiliating defeat for a change.
"At least they knew they've lost for once," Sora said.
"Yeah, but we'll see them again sooner than we think," Kairi said.
"Anyway, thanks for helping me, Kairi," Sora said.
"That's what a girlfriend is for, Sora. You were the one who was helping me out, and so it was my turn. And that's when I got my own Keyblade," Kairi said.
"How did you snap out of it, Kairi?" Sora asked.
"It was when you said some awful things to me. And that's when I realized you would never say those things about me," Kairi said. Sora sighed.
"Wish I figured that out," Sora said.
"What did you see under Rose's illusion?" Kairi asked.
"I saw we had a really bad argument, and we said that we hated each other. I should have realized you wouldn't say that to me," Sora said.
"Well, you know now, Sora. I wouldn't say it to you, and you wouldn't say it to me," Kairi said. She gave Sora a loving hug. "I love you, Sora. And nothing will ever change it." Sora smiled and hugged her back.
"I love you, too, Kairi," Sora said.
Sora and Kairi kissed each other with so much passion, knowing that their love has grown even stronger than before.
The Pokémon were happy to witness it for themselves. Pikachu and Angel held each other just as lovingly.
If Sora and Kairi have learned anything from this whole experience, they have learned when you truly love someone more than life itself, then nobody and nothing has the power to destroy it.